Determination: Undertale Pacifist Novelization
by AsmaraHeart2001
Summary: Frisk, a young child at the age of eleven, one day goes to explore on the mysterious Mount Ebott, and ends up plunging down an enormous crater. At the bottom lies the Underground, home to the race of monsters. There is no way to get back to the surface other than journeying to the far end of the enormous cave system, and the inhabitants there are not in very good terms with humans!
1. Chapter 1: Fallen Down

Chapter 1: Fallen Down

I felt a distant warmth as I came back to consciousness. Through my closed eyelids, I could make out a light coming from in front of me. Or was it above me? I couldn't tell. I felt a soft surface pressing against my back, and my mind immediately told me that I was lying down… On a bed, presumably. My body ached a little bit, but it wasn't so bad that it would worry me.

Without opening my eyes, I tried faintly to remember what had happened last. It began to find its way back to me… I had went exploring by myself on Mt. Ebott. I hadn't told anyone; I didn't remember doing so, anyway. I couldn't recall why I went there. Maybe it was because I heard stories that whoever climbed the mountain never came back, and I was curious. But… odd, I didn't remember going back home.

With great effort, I finally decided to pry my eyes open. Light from above made it hard to see clearly. I shut them again. Gathering my strength, I decided to try to sit up. I heaved myself upright, finally getting the light out of my eyes, and blinked. I was alarmed when I saw what surrounded me.

I was sitting on a bed of soft, golden flowers. And around it… definitely wasn't home. It was a small cavern, lit only by the distant light filtering in from above. I lifted my gaze to follow the walls, and found that I was at the bottom of some giant hole. I was suddenly filled with panic. I didn't know how I had gotten here! I didn't remember anything… Except… Oh god. I had fallen down here. The memory streamed back. I had caught my foot on a vine up on the mountain, and plummeted down into a dark chasm. I had screamed in terror, thinking I was going to die when I hit the bottom…

But I guess I hadn't.

And… now I was here. Where was here? How would I get back? I let out a cry of horror and shoved myself to my feet, tears starting to gather in my eyes. I ignored the dizziness from standing up so quickly and tried to look around as best I could. There were pillars… That was good. That meant someone else had to know about this place. Was there a way out? I spun around, observing the walls. There, behind me, was a tunnel… almost a hallway. I stared at it, wiping the tears that had escaped my eyes and sniffing. It was dark, and I didn't have any light that I could bring with me. What if there was something down there that wasn't so friendly?

The tears in my eyes flowed over and dribbled down my cheeks. What if I died down here? What would happen to my family back home? Did they even know I was missing? My heart ached as sobs emerged from my throat. I was eleven years old, but I had to admit, I was deathly scared. I had never been in a situation like this in my life. I held in a scream. I felt my fears ball up and grab at my pounding heart, making me wish I was stronger than I really was. I wished I didn't have to be the kind of kid that panicked so easily.

I took a deep breath and let it out shakily. Nothing was going to get better if I didn't do anything more than cry. Continuing to breathe as steadily as I could eventually made my sobs die down. I looked up with wet eyes, but seeing the dark hallway again just made me whimper. I wanted to do anything other than go there.

However… It was my only choice. I was young, but I knew enough to have some instincts. I couldn't stay here. I had to try to find a way out on my own. I picked up a fair-sized stick from near the flower bed, hoping it might protect me from at least something. With a deep breath, I began walking toward the hallway. Walking blind into the darkness made my heart race. I had to force myself to keep going, holding the stick in front of me protectively.

I didn't have to go too far before something caught my eye. On my left, there was a doorway. And through the doorway… More light. I went through, eager to get out of the menacing darkness. Before I reached the lit area, though, I saw something there. It was another golden flower. This one was taller and bigger than the others, and it was facing away from me. Curious, I stepped toward it.

The flower turned around. I froze when it stared at me with two little eyes. It blinked, then smiled at me. It was alive. I was even more shocked when it actually spoke.

"Howdy!" It said in a cheery, high-pitched male voice. "I'm Flowey! Flowey the flower!"

I looked at it in awe.

He grinned bigger. "Hee hee! You're new to the Underground, aren'tcha?"

I nodded slowly, wiping away another tear that I hadn't noticed before.

"Golly, you must be so confused. Someone ought to teach you how things work around here!" He chuckled again. "I guess little old me will have to do." He looked up and me and raised a hand-like leaf. "Ready? Here we go!"

I blinked a couple times. "I-I…"

Suddenly, a strange feeling swept over me. In a couple odd flashes, almost like rapid heartbeats, a glowing, red heart-shape appeared on my chest, casting a light through my pink and blue sweater. It was about the size my actual should have been. I looked at it, confused yet curious.

"See that heart?" said Flowey. "That's your Soul, the very culmination of your being! Your Soul starts off weak, but can grow stronger if you gain a lot of LV."

I cocked my head in confusion. I had questions, but Flowey spoke before I had the chance.

The flower watched me. "Do you know what LV stands for? Why, Love, of course!" He laughed again. "You want some Love, don't you? Don't worry, I'll share some with you!" He winked, and tiny white dots appeared over the flower in an arch. "Down here, Love is shared through…" Flowey seemed to be searching for the right words to explain. "Little white… friendliness pellets!" He looked at me with a smile. "Are you ready? Get as many as you can!"

The pellets began to move toward me through the still air. Eager to see what they would do for me, I reached out to the nearest one…

I fell to my knees. My whole body was filled with a burning pain. My eyes widened and stared at nothing, confused and scared, choking back a scream.

Suddenly, the flower grinned. Not a friendly grin… An evil grin. "Hahaha! You idiot!" He laughed in a crackling voice. "In this world, it's kill or BE killed! Why would ANYONE pass up an opportunity like this!?" Fangs poked through Flowey's jaws, and he stared at me with horrifying, empty, black eyes. A large amount of the little pellets appeared, and aimed at me threateningly. "DIE!" With a blood-curdling, terrifying cackle from the flower, the pellets began to close in. I fell down onto my rear and scrambled backward, trying to escape the horrible pellets, but to no avail. They moved wherever I did. Tears flowed back into my eyes as I felt my back hit a wall. All I could do now was watch as the pellets drew nearer and nearer…

Suddenly, the pellets disappeared. The glow from my Soul went away, too. I stared in surprise as a little ball of fire flew toward the flower, and he was thrown across the room with flames dancing across his leaves, only to dig into the ground and vanish.

Soft footsteps approached, then stopped in front of me. I looked up and gasped at the new form that loomed above. It was almost exactly what I had been told that a monster looked like. She was female, obviously, and had a white, goat-like head with big floppy ears hanging down over her shoulders. Two big white paws stuck out from under a long, purple dress. But her face… It was not like Flowey's had been. It was sincere and housed a kind smile. She knelt down and reached out to me with a white, clawed hand. Weak from the attack before, I couldn't move away as much as I had wished. I just whimpered in fear.

The monster continued to reach. "Please, child," she said to me in a soft, feminine voice. "Do not fear. I only want to heal you."

I halted my movements for a moment, debating if I should trust that she wasn't lying like the flower had. Looking at her genuinely worried expression, though… I decided to let her touch me. Her hand was extremely careful as it pressed lightly against my chest. I was alarmed to see the red, heart-shaped light shine through my shirt under the contact… But suddenly, I began to feel better. My tensed muscles relaxed and I let out a small sigh as the harsh aching feeling subsided.

The white monster lifted her hand, and the light faded. "What a terrible creature, torturing such a poor innocent youth," she cooed as she watched me compose myself. She stood up and held out a hand to help me up. I hesitated, then gingerly took it.

When I was on my feet again, I took my hand away and stepped back; although she had healed me, she was a monster, just like the flower. I didn't know if I should trust her fully or not.

She seemed to notice my reaction right away. "Ah, please do not be afraid, child. I mean you no harm. I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins. I pass through this place every day to see if anyone has fallen down. I must say… You are the first human to come here in a long time." Her expression shifted for a moment, seemingly in thought. After only a moment, though, her friendly smile returned. "Come! I will guide you through the catacombs." She turned around and started toward another door with dim light coming from it. When she realized I wasn't following her, she looked back at me and gave an encouraging smile. "Please do not fear. This is the only way to safety. I only want to help you. That horrible flower may come back if you stay here alone."

I hesitated. I did want safety, and the light coming from the door was welcoming. Plus… I couldn't really go anywhere else. This seemed to be the only way to progress. If I stayed back, I figured I would die of hunger or something. Or, as she had said, the flower could come back. With a breath of confidence, I walked toward her. "O-okay," I sighed, trying a friendly smile.

Toriel smiled. "Good, child. Please come; the Ruins are this way." She disappeared through the door, and I followed just behind.

The room inside the door was well-lit, to my relief. The whole place looked very old, yet well-kept, probably due to Toriel. The walls and floor were purple, with white stairs leading up to another door at the far end of the room. Red leaves lay at the middle of the base of the stairs, splitting them into two sets. Toriel waited for a little bit at the top of the stairs while I caught up, then went through the door. I stopped before the leaves and looked up at the strange picture of a crest painted upon the purple wall above the door. For some reason, I felt that this was going to be the beginning of a long journey home. As the shadow of the mysterious Ruins loomed above, I was filled with determination. I made my way up the stairs and entered the door.


	2. Chapter 2: Guidance

Chapter 2: Guidance

This new room was smaller than the first. There were six pressure plates on the floor, and a golden switch on the far wall near a closed door.

Toriel watched me enter with a smile. "Welcome to your new home, innocent one," she said.

I was only able to begin to comprehend the fact that she had said "new home" before she kept speaking.

"Allow me to educate you on the operation of the Ruins." I watched as she walked over four of the buttons, then pulled the golden switch. The door swung open with a clank. "The Ruins are full of puzzles, ancient fusions between diversions and door keys. One must solve them to move from room to room. You must adjust yourself to the sight of them, for there are certainly more to follow." She spun on her heel, almost excitedly, and entered the newly opened door. I followed, intrigued.

The room we entered was much longer than the others had been. There was a path down the middle of the room, which extended to the right, and little streams with bridges over them going across. Vines snaked up the violet walls.

Toriel observed my interest with glee. "To make progress here, you must trigger several switches," she explained. "Do not worry, I have labeled the ones you need to flip."

"I-I do it? Not you?" I stammered, still a little nervous.

She smiled warmly. "Yes, child, you. I think it would be good for you to practice the puzzles for yourself, so in case you were to stray from me, you would know what to do." She made her way to the far end of the room. "So come! You can do it. Do not worry, the puzzles near here are quite easy, and I will help you if you need."

I nodded and made my way across the first bridge. On my left was another golden switch, with many arrows that pointed to it. I walked up to it and flicked it downward.

"Good!" Toriel complimented happily. "Only one more!"

Across one more bridge, there were two golden switches. The purple wall around one had more arrows drawn on it, and the other was blank. With confidence, I pulled the labeled switch. There was a CLANK, and the spikes that had blocked the far door retracted into the floor. Proud, I walked over to Toriel.

"There we are!" she said, patting me gently on the head. "It wasn't so hard, was it?"

I giggled a little at the mother-like touch. "Y-yeah."

Toriel touched me lightly on the shoulder. "Come, let's try the next room."

We walked through the doorway and into a smaller room. The only thing in it was a stuffed mannequin- a training dummy, by the look of it. I wondered what kind of puzzle this would be for.

"Now, this is not a puzzle," said Toriel, diminishing my last thought. "I figured, though, that as a human living in the Underground, you might be attacked by monsters that do not understand your presence here. If this happens, I wish for you to be prepared. But, worry not! This is more simple than you may have thought." She looked down at me, then continued: "When a monster approaches you, they may engage a fight. But, remember… Monsters are not enemies! While you are in an encounter, strike up a friendly conversation! If you stall for time by doing this, I will come and resolve the conflict." She walked further into the room and pointed to the mannequin. "Try talking to this dummy as practice."

I hesitated, then slowly approached the stuffed monster. I looked at its tiny, button eyes for a moment, then chuckled and glanced at Toriel. "This seems kind of silly."

"I know, my child, but I just want to make sure you are comfortable when a situation like this comes to pass. I need to know that it will not be hard for either you or the monster you come across."

I looked at the dummy again. Gently, I touched its nose in curiosity. To my surprise, those strange flashes came again, and the glow from under my sweater came back in that unmistakable heart-shape. I stared at it, alarmed. Was Flowey here again?

"Is this new to you, child?" Toriel asked, seeing my surprised expression.

"N-no…" I said quietly. "It just startled me. I-it happened when that flower tried to hurt me."

"Oh, do not fear it. It is your own Soul. It will be shown every time you enter an encounter," she explained. "I have seen it happen once a long while ago. I know how it works, so do not worry. I can guide you if you need. Please tell me if you need help here."

I looked back at the dummy and sighed. The stick hanging at my side would be fun to beat it up with, I thought in a childish way.

Seeing my grip on the stick shift a bit, Toriel spoke, "Why don't you talk to it? Think of it as a friendly monster. You want to be friends with it, do you not?"

The dummy seemed to be looking at me expectantly. I cleared my throat. "H-hello, there. How are you doing today…?"

Obviously, it gave no response.

Toriel seemed happy with me, though. "There we are! Very good, my child!"

I smiled. Although it was silly to talk to an inanimate object, I no longer felt need for the stick in my hand. "Y-yeah."

"Why don't we move to the next room? There is another puzzle there." Toriel walked through the door behind her. I gave the dummy a friendly little pat before walking to join her, and I noticed that my glowing Soul vanished again.

Toriel watched me enter. "There is a puzzle in this room… I wonder if you can solve it?" With a giggle, she walked down a curved hall at the end of the room.

I blinked. Having not done a puzzle completely on my own before, I wasn't quite sure what to do. I looked around and found a sign. "The western room is the eastern room's blueprint," it read. I raised an eyebrow in question. Wanting to make Toriel happy with me, I looked around the room to see if I could figure it out. Although… Nothing was there. I stared at my surroundings for a moment longer before giving up. "Toriel…?" I called, walking down toward the hall. "I don't get i-"

Suddenly, the flashes came again, causing my Soul to appear. From behind one of the corners in the hallway, a strange looking frog jumped. It stopped in front of me, gazing upward at my face curiously. "A-a human…" it said in a croaky voice. I wasn't sure how I could understand it, but I knew for sure that it had spoken somehow.

This was my first true encounter. I froze up, nervous I might do something wrong. I considered calling for Toriel, but reconsidered. I decided to see what might happen. The frog monster glanced at my stick and looked a little scared. When I realized, I threw it behind me so I looked harmless.

"I-I'm sorry," I told it. "I don't want to hurt you."

The frog looked a little relieved, but didn't respond. I searched for more words, but they didn't come. Before anything else could happen between us, I heard footsteps come down the hall, and Toriel appeared from behind the frog. She ran up as soon as she saw what was happening.

"Oh! Shoo! Shoo! The child does not want to harm us, please do not feel frightened, Frogit!"

The frog monster, Frogit, apparently, glanced at the floor and hopped away with an intimidated ribbit. "Sorry, Toriel…"

"Quite alright, dear." She looked at me worriedly. "Did that Frogit hurt you, my child?"

I shook my head as the heart vanished yet again. "N-no, I'm alright."

Toriel sighed in relief. "Oh, good. I was worried. I am sorry, I thought I heard you call about the puzzle, but I figured you were on your way to me anyway, so I thought…" She shook her head. "No, I am sorry. I will be more careful in the future. Come, I will show you how the puzzle works."

I followed her down to the far end of the hall. In the room that lay through it, there was no open floor, but instead a field of spikes surrounded by a moat. The Ruins looked like they continued on the other side.

"This is the puzzle, but…" She put a claw to her chin in thought. Suddenly, she knelt down to my height. "Here, take my hand for a moment."

Still not fully sure if I should trust her or not, I hesitated, but then figured she seemed to have no intent to hurt me. I put my hand in hers again, and she gently held it as she began to walk toward the spikes. I was startled, but assumed she knew what she was doing. I understood as soon as she reached one section of the spikes, which retracted as soon as she was about to step on them. We continued walking in a strange pattern. Spikes shifted and clanked as we went. Actually, I began to recognise the pattern. It was in the shape of the pathway in the room before the hall! I nearly laughed at myself for not trying hard enough to get it.

When we reached the other side of the spike field, Toriel let go of my hand. "I think… puzzles might be too dangerous for now," she sighed with a soft smile. We walked through the next room was a very long hallway. We began walking in silence. A few seconds down the hall, Toriel spoke. "I just realized… I feel very bad for this… But I never asked your name, my child."

I looked up at her and hesitated. She noticed right away and looked worried. "What is it?"

"Well… To be honest…" I clutched my arm in embarrassment. "I've been teased about my name a lot back up there," I pointed upward, gesturing to my home. "So I kinda started keeping it to myself."

We reached the end of the hall and Toriel knelt down before me and gave a gentle smile. "Do not worry, I will not make fun of you, my child. I have known others that have special names, too."

I paused, nervous for a moment, then smiled in determination. "Well… I-I'm Frisk."

Toriel giggled, and at first I was offended, but then heard her say "That is a wonderful name!"

I perked up. "R-really?"

"Yes, it is. I really like it, child."

I laughed a little. "Ha ha…! Thank you."

Her face lit up suddenly. "My child… I had an idea," she said. "I must do something, but… I am afraid you must stay in this room until I return. It is too dangerous beyond here for you, for now." She perked up. "Ah! But I shall give you something to contact me with. A cell phone!"

She pulled a small device out of a well-hidden pocket in her dress. It was grey and looked to have a tiny, stubby antenna. Obviously, the world I came from was ahead with technology if this was what a normal phone in the Underground looked like. I took it and turned it over in my hand. Yes, it was quite old. My phone back home was way more advanced.

"I promise I will be back soon, my child," she said as she began walking toward the next door. "Be good and stay here where it's safe, will you not? I will help you through more of the Ruins when I return."

"Okay," I accepted obediently. "Thank you for the phone."

"Of course, small one," she giggled with a smile. "Be good!" With that, she exited through the door, and it shut - not all the way - with a slow creak.

I simply stood there for a moment. What should I do while she was gone? I decided to check out the phone. I looked down at it in my hands and tried to figure out how to activate it. It turned out to be a flip phone. With my knowledge of technology from the world above, I quickly figured out how to use it. There was nothing on it save for a single contact, labeled "Toriel". I took note of it but decided not to call yet.

The Ruins were silent. I decided to sit down and wait. Leaning against the wall, I absently played with the antenna of the phone. Thoughts crept into my mind. I realized that I should have asked Toriel how I could get home instead of following her into this strange place. My parents would be worried about me by now, and I had no way of contacting them because I had left my phone at home. In sudden realization, I snapped open the flip phone and speedily typed my home number. When I put the phone to my ear, I heard what sounded like a pre-record voice: "Sorry, the number you dialed cannot be reached. It is a surface phone, which cannot be contacted through the barrier's magic. Have a nice day." I hung up, defeated.

I continued sitting there. Another thought occurred to me, which I was surprised hadn't earlier. I think I had just gotten confirmation through the phone that I really was where I had feared when I woke up on the flowers. I had learned, when I was young, that thousands of years ago, monsters had lived with humans in harmony, up on the surface world. After a war (that I didn't remember much about), the humans banished the monsters to a place called the Underground, and sealed them there with a magic barrier. And by falling through that hole on Mount Ebott… I had ended up in that very place. I was trapped in the domain of monsters.

I shivered at the thought. There was no way I would be able to be down here for very long without getting attacked. The monsters would surely think I was to blame for their banishment. I sat in morbid silence for a few moments. Maybe, though, I could show them that I didn't want to hurt them. Then maybe they'd let me go without hurting me. I hoped for that to be true with all my heart… And all my Soul.


	3. Chapter 3: Navigating the Ruins

Chapter 3: Navigating the Ruins

Suddenly, after sitting against the lavender wall for a few moments, I heard… something. It was not footsteps, but hopping. After what sounded like multiple jumps, it stopped just outside the door and sounded a light croak. It must have been the Frogit from earlier. I figured it would be okay if I just took a peek at it.

Slowly, I stood up and walked over to the door. When I peered through the opening, I saw the little white frog gazing up at me from the other side. Wanting to see how it would react, I decided to try being nice. I gave it a little wave. "H-hi, there," I greeted. "I'm sorry about earlier, I really didn't want to hurt you."

The Frogit looked at me curiously. "You don't want to hurt us?" it ribbited.

"No, I don't. I think you're a really sweet little monster."

Blush crept onto its cheeks. "Really…?" It seemed to smile. "Why, thank you, human. I… I do not want to hurt you if you do not want to hurt us."

I decided to push fully through the door, despite what I'd been told, and kneel down by the frog. I smiled a little at it. "Thank you."

It nodded. "Sure. You know, the Ruins aren't really that dangerous. If you talk to the monsters you meet here like you did to me, they probably won't want to fight you. I mean, they may not be as accepting as I am, but if you figured out what to say that would get them to not want to fight, I bet you could make them understand that you mean us no harm."

"You think I could?"

"Yes. You seem like a really nice human."

I smiled gently. "Well, I don't want to hurt anyone if I don't have to. I don't think it's right."

"Good for you, human," croaked the frog. "I really appreciate that you understand us. Really, we do not like to cause trouble. Thank you for being kind in return." It turned and looked ready to hop away. "I am sorry, but I must go now. Good luck getting home!" With that, it leapt away and disappeared through a dark doorway. I called my thanks after it.

Now I was alone, again. But, as the Frogit had said, the Ruins wouldn't be too dangerous if I showed mercy. I decided not to go back to the long room, but to continue exploring by myself. Toriel would take a long time, anyway.

This room was the largest I had seen yet. There was not much in it apart from a path leading to the far side and some piles of fluorescent red leaves. I wasn't sure where the leaves had come from; there were no trees in the room. It was strange, but interesting. I kicked one pile and it exploded into the air. I giggled childishly as I watched them flutter to the ground. Doing this alone in a new, unexplored place made me more determined and ready to discover all that awaited me.

Suddenly, my new phone rang loudly, vibrating my pocket and making me jump. I quickly fumbled to get a hold of it, and flipped it open.

"Hello..?" I said as I lifted the old device to my ear.

"Hello, my child," came Toriel's unmistakable voice from the other side. "This is Toriel. I just wanted to make sure that you are doing alright. I am sorry that you cannot leave the room I left you in, I just fear that it will be too dangerous without my guidance in the rooms to come."

I hesitated. Of course, I had left the room, and I didn't want to go back. But… I also didn't want to lie. I thought for a moment. "I'm fine, I haven't gotten into any trouble." I hoped that would work.

"Oh, that's good," Toriel responded. "Also, I am sorry to bother you, but… For no reason in particular, do you prefer cinnamon or butterscotch?"

Taken off guard but relieved at the change in subject, I had to pause and think. "Um… butterscotch, I guess."

I heard Toriel hesitate. "Alright, thank you. But, just out of curiosity, you do not dislike cinnamon, do you?"

"No, I don't."

"Oh, good. Okay, I am sorry for bothering you. Be good until I return, alright?"

I smiled involuntarily. "Okay."

There was a click as she hung up. I returned the phone to my pocket, relieved that I didn't have to flat-out lie to her. Even though I didn't know her very well, she felt familiar, somehow, almost like my mother back up on the surface. And through that familiarity… I didn't want to be rude to her. I sighed. I didn't have time to wait around. I needed to find a way to get out of here. If that meant disobeying Toriel… I guess that's what I would have to do.

I went to continue toward the far door, following the path in the middle of the room. Suddenly, I felt a burning pain on my right arm. I halted and jumped with a shriek, wondering what had caused it so suddenly. I looked to my right to see a strange-looking insect monster hovering above one of the piles of leaves. As soon as it saw me make eye contact, it looked like it was going to cry. "I-I'm sorry…" It whispered. Looking away from me, it released a flurry of tiny moths that flew in my direction. When I let one touch my shoulder, thinking it was harmless, I immediately realized what had burned my arm. They were magical moths.

Despite the wounds I had earned from the attacks, I decided to try to get it to stop attacking peacefully. "Hey," I said gently. The monster flinched at my words, and tears began to run down its face. I was hit with a pang of sympathy. "I don't want to hurt you, please don't cry." It whimpered and released more moths. Knowing what they did, this time, I stepped out of the way before they could touch me. I tried again: "What's your name?"

It hesitated. "Whimsun…" The insect monster stared at me, then burst into tears, zipping out of the room and down the hall. "Oh, I-I can't do this! I-I'm sorry! I don't want to hurt you either!"

I gazed after it for a moment, stunned, then realized the burns, again. "Ow…" I hissed as I ran my fingertips over the areas. I would have to be more careful if I was going to make it out of here safely. I clutched my arm and painfully continued toward the doorway, hoping I wouldn't run into anything dangerous in the next room.

To my relief, it was just an empty, short room. I walk ahead with a sigh, focusing hard on anything other than the burns. Just as my thoughts were beginning to wander, I felt the ground under my foot crack, and I screamed as my body plummeted through the floor. I landed on my stomach a few seconds later with a harsh "oof" as the breath was knocked out of me. My head spun from impact, but I composed myself quickly and looked around in case any monsters were there. There was a Frogit in the corner, but it was just watching me calmly and didn't look threatening. I heaved myself up and noticed I had fallen on more of those red leaves from the room before. If it wasn't for them, my fall might have been much worse. I silently thanked them.

The only ways to go were two stairways, one to my right and one to my left. I thought before climbing: Which one might lead where I needed to go before my fall? I tried the stairwell on my right. It was darker than the rest of the Ruins inside, and I was happy to see light again when I got to the top. I was back in the room with the cracked floor. I looked to my right and saw that the room I had come from was now on the other side of the hole I had fell through. I smiled and continued on my way.

I saw the Whimsun from before hovering in the corner. As soon as it saw me, it looked terrified. I smiled at it, and after a moment, it smiled back faintly. It fled before anything else could happen.

I looked around. This room had a row of spiked flooring about halfway through it, blocking progress. On my side, there was what looked like another pressure plate… And a big rock. I glanced a sign on the wall that read "three out of four grey rocks recommend you push them". This puzzle seemed easy. I walked over to the rock and leaned my weight against it, feeling it begin to slide across the floor. I gave it one final shove, trying to ignore the resurfacing pain in my arm, and it came to rest upon the plate, triggering all the spikes to be sucked down into the floor. I grinned, somewhat proud of myself. I entered the next room.

I stopped in my tracks. The room was very large, and the entire floor was covered with cracks. Before deciding to attempt walking on the cracks, I came up with a plan. I went to the edge of the solid flooring and began tapping along the edge of the cracked area. When I reached an area that seemed to be stable, I stood up and slowly put my foot on it and applied my weight little by little. When it held my whole body, I started tapping with my foot around the area I was on. I felt like I was making my way through a minefield.

More holes opened up under my pressure, and through them, I could see the room below. Leaves covered only some areas of it, and others were blank. I squinted to make out the sign: "please don't step on the leaves". I looked straight down. There were leaves directly beneath all the places with broken ground. I quickly understood: the upper room was the lower one's mirror image.

This gave me a good idea of where to walk. I stared down the hole for a while, trying to memorize as much of the pattern as I could. I continued carefully but confidently, following the pattern, but testing the ground a little bit before each full step. I made it about half way across the floor before I couldn't remember any more of the pattern and stepped somewhere wrong. I barely managed to keep myself from falling through the newly-created hole. Through it, I glimpsed a monster that looked like a pile of jello crawling along the ground. I flinched when I saw the broken pieces of the floor crumble down on top of it. It stopped, observing me above, shot a lazy ball of slime through the hole (that I easily dodged), then gave up and continued crawling along. My fear eased.

I glanced at the pattern below again, then was finally able to make it to the door. I sighed in relief, letting myself feel stable again. I was happy to just see another rock-sliding puzzle in the next room. This time, there were three pressure plates and three rocks, and a waterway across the middle of the room with a bridge covered with spikes. I began to make my way to the first rock, but froze as soon as I saw another one of the jelly monsters in the room. It had no eyes, but seemed to be staring at me.

Nervous energy crept into my chest as my Soul shone through my sweater, letting me know that this jelly monster was not as laid back about my presence than the last had been. The monster burbled, then lobbed multiple balls of slime at me, which popped in the air and multiplied into fans of smaller balls. I tried to dodge as best I could, but a couple made contact with my leg and good arm. Pain rushed through my veins causing me to let out a little shriek, but I clenched my jaw and tried to hide it.

"H-hey, please don't fight me," I stammered, fighting back the cries that were trying to come out. "I-I don't want to hurt you."

It stopped, seeming to think about what I might have said. It started flattening a bit, like it was lying down. I felt it "looking" at me expectantly. Not wanting to chance it attacking me again, I tried to understand what it meant. Did it want me to lie down, too? I tried it. It felt unbelievably good with all the pain I had been in. The new wound on my leg stopped hurting, too, once I got the pressure off it. The monster jiggled a little bit and made another burbling sound that seemed a little more happy than the last. I think it must have been happy with me, considering that my Soul's glow faded.

I realized how exhausted I was when I felt sleep start to tug at me. I begrudgingly heaved myself up before I could obey it, knowing I couldn't just stop in the middle of this place. I had to keep going.

"Thank you," I whispered to the monster, which burble once more and crawled away into the last room.

I limped over to the first stone and began to push it with all my might. The first one reached the pressure plate. Then I moved to the second. Then I put my hands on the third…

"Hey!"

I jumped back with a startled yelp, glancing around the room in alarm to try and find the source of the angry voice.

"Who said you could push me around?"

I riveted my gaze at the rock. "E-excuse me…?"

"I said, I never gave anyone permission to move me. I'm stayin' right here."

A rock was talking to me, now. I was beginning to think I was going insane. "I… I'm sorry, sir. I just need you to move over so I can get across those spikes."

"So you're askin' me to move over?"

"Yes, please."

"Alrighty, just for you."

I watched as the large stone scooted toward the pressure plate, then stopped after only a few inches. "U-um, could you go a little further?"

"Hmm? You want me to move more?"

I nodded. "Yes, please."

"Alrighty then." The stone inched the the left, away from the plate. I sighed in defeat.

"What? Was that the wrong way?" The rock asked.

"Yes, sir. I'm very sorry, but could you move over to the pressure plate, please?"

"Sure."

Finally, it scooted all the way onto the plate. I smiled as the spikes went down. I walked over to cross the bridge. "Thank yo-" The spikes went back up as I was just a few steps from them. I froze and looked back at the rock. It had moved off of the plate. "U-um, sir…"

"Hmm?" came the rock. "What, did you want me to stay there?"

I nodded. "Yes, please…"

The rock moved back onto the plate. "Alright, kid. Good luck out there."

I finally made it across the little bridge. "Thank you!"

The room I entered was another hallway… but it smelled strongly of cheese. I plugged my nose as I walked past a short table with a piece of hole-filled, orange cheese sitting on its surface. Beside it sat what looked like a small pile of golden coins. Curious, I scraped the coins off the table and into my pocket. I desired that if they were used as currency in the Underground, they might come in handy later. I ran out of the room, not wanting to smell the cheese longer than I had to.

Somehow, the burst of adrenaline I had gotten from running had brought back the feeling of determination.


	4. Chapter 4: A Kind Ghost

Chapter 4: A Kind Ghost

When I entered the next room, I expected another puzzle, but was met with the smallest room I had seen yet, with nothing in it except for red leaves and a doorway. And… something else strange was there. In the middle of the doorway, on the red leaves, lay something white. As I got closer, I realized that it was a ghost. It looked very much like you would picture, not like a transparent human, but more like the generic "sheet thrown over a person" Halloween ghost. It was lying on its back with its eyes closed, but it didn't seem to be sleeping. It was literally saying "Z" out loud over and over.

I had no clue what I should do. I had to get through the doorway, but I didn't want to bother the ghost. I decided to try sneaking around, but when I attempted, there didn't seem to be enough space between it and the walls. I needed to get it to move.

I knelt down and nudged it gently, trying not to anger it. "E-excuse me," I tried in a soft voice. "Could I possibly get around you…?"

The ghost opened its eyes and hovered upright. I was startled as I saw my Soul appear. The ghost stared at it, too. "Y-you're human… huh…?" It said in a depressed-sounding male voice.

I nodded slowly. "Y-yeah. I'm just trying to get home."

"You must have lots of friends at your home…"

I paused at the subject. "U-um, not really."

The ghost looked down in shame. "Oh… Me neither…" Tears started to form in their eyes. "I'm not really good with people…" The tears fell, but instead of plopping on the ground, they started floating around randomly. I flinched as a stray one grazed the knee of my hurt leg, burning the fabric.

"H-hey, don't cry!"

The ghost looked at me with a depressed frown. I smiled, trying to make them feel better. "Look, I'm not judging you. I've been in the same situation."

"You have…?"

I nodded. "Yeah." I started remembering back to my life on the surface. "I felt like you do for a long time. Where I come from, people don't really like me. I'm a really quiet kid. I'm usually that person that will just be able to sit there and no one will notice until someone bumps me over."

The ghost blinked. "You don't seem bad... You know how to talk."

I was silent for a moment. "I've had to talk more since I've been down here." I saw the ghost looking at me worriedly, and shook my head. "But hey, that's alright. I kinda like talking when people don't ignore me."

"People ignore me…"

"Maybe they wouldn't if you talked to them."

They stared at me curiously. "Really…?"

I gave the ghost a friendly smile. "Yeah."

To my relief, I got a tiny smile out of them, too. "Well… Thanks… My name's Napstablook, by the way…"

Napstablook, I repeated the strange name in my head, and inwardly giggled. "That's a nice name. I'm Frisk."

"That's a nice name…" Napstablook looked at the ground shyly. "Can I… Show you something…?"

I nodded. "Of course." To my alarm, more tears floated from Napstablook's eyes. "W-wait, don't c-" I started to console them, but then I realized that the tears weren't floating randomly like before, but were going upward. An object began to form atop the ghost's head, and I realized that it was becoming a little, white, top hat. I broke a smile and chuckled.

"I call it 'Dapper Blook'. Do you like it…?"

"Yeah! That's really cool!" I complimented genuinely.

"Oh…" The hat disappeared. "I… I usually come to the Ruins because there's no one around… But today I met someone nice…"

I smiled at their comment before a small fact in their words caught my attention. "Wait, you come to the Ruins? Does that mean there's other places than here?"

The ghost nodded. "Yeah, there's a lot… There isn't really anyone here, anymore. They all left a long time ago…"

Hope blossomed inside me. "Do you know the way out of here, by any chance?"

Napstablook gave a small nod. "Yes… It might be hard to get there since you're not a ghost, though…"

I kept eye contact, waiting for them to continue.

They looked at the ground absently. "Toriel knows… She guards the door… And I don't think she lets just anyone go through…"

Toriel. I wondered why she hadn't told me about a door that would lead me back home. I shrugged it off. I got what I needed to know, now I just had to find Toriel. I smiled at the ghost. "I didn't know that. Thank you for telling me, I'll go talk to Toriel about it. I need to find that door so I can get back home."

The ghost looked alarmed. "I… I wouldn't do that if I were you… She's kind of intimidating…"

"I can handle it," I reassured them. "She's not too bad, really. Besides… I'm determined to get back home. I'll do whatever it takes."

They hesitated, then nodded again. "Okay… I'll get out of your way, then…" Quietly, the ghost faded, and I was alone once again. At least the path was cleared, now, and I didn't have to fight anything.

I walked forward, and was met with a split in the path. The room ahead of me looked small, so I decided to investigate it first. When I entered, There was literally nothing there except a small wooden sign and some spider webs. Spider bake sale, read the sign. All proceeds go to real spiders. I chuckled at the silly concept. There was no bake sale here; some monster must have left this sign as a joke.

Suddenly a shiver went up my spine as a big purple spider crawled over the back of the sign and down the post. The strange thing about it wasn't just that it was purple but that it was carrying something much bigger than a spider should be able to. It was… a donut. I nearly had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't seeing things. The spider carried the small pastry over to one of the webs near the all and just sat there. It seemed to be looking right at me.

I simply stared at it for a moment. It never looked away. "What?" I asked. The tiny creature set down the donut and picked up a white sign. Spider donut, 7g, it read. My mind instantly went to the money I had picked up earlier. "Oh," I realized what it wanted. I pulled out the seven coins from earlier. "You want money for the donut?" The purple spider twirled the sign around. A happy face was drawn crudely in black marker. I laughed and crouched down in front of the web. I set down the gold and the spider quickly gathered it up, then scooted the donut in my direction. I took it and put it into my pocket. "Thank you." I walked away thinking I was a little bit insane.

As I exited the room, I turned into the other one and found that there were three Frogits in its long expanse. One seemed to recognize me, and it ribbited a "hello". The others copied its ignorance toward my "human-ness" and none bothered to attack me. I smiled at the first one as I passed through the hall. Before I went through the door, I saw the frog monster hop toward me, and I stopped to hear what I had to say.

"Hey, human," it croaked. "It's good to see that you're still doing okay."

I nodded as I crouched down to its height. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just a few minor injuries, but they were from misunderstandings. Your advice is working, by the way."

It puffed its chest in pride. "Well, I'm glad. I thought it might."

"Thanks for trying to help me. I really appreciate it."

"Aww, it's no problem," it said with a blush. "I'm happy to help."

I smiled. "Well, I'm on my way to find Toriel. I need to ask her about how to get out of here. Do you know if she went this way?"

The Frogit nodded. "Yes, her house is at the far end of the Ruins. If you just keep moving forward, you should find it."

I stood up. "Thank you. I should go, then. No offense to you, but I want to get out of here as soon as I can."

The frog monster began hopping away. "No problem. Good luck on getting home!"

I continued on my way through the next door. Not to my surprise, there was another puzzle. The room had six spots on its floor that looked like they could crumble away, just like the maze room from earlier. A sign on the wall read: There is only one switch. The far door was blocked by spikes.

As I knew to do from earlier, I went over to the nearest cracked spot and used my foot to cause it to crumble. As I looked through, I saw some leaves sticking up through a patch of dirt. They were moving, so I assumed it was some type of plant monster. There was no switch in the tiny room, so I moved on to the next hole. I tried one at the far end of the room, and there was nothing there but red leaves. The other one at this side also held a plant monster.

I decided to try the other one at the beginning of the room. There was no switch in this one, either. But… There was something. It was thin and pink, and I couldn't see it too well from how high I was. I wanted to pass it by and try to find the switch, but something about it drew me to investigate. I lowered myself through the hole and dropped to the floor, the red leaves softening the landing.

I knelt down by the object and scooped it up in my hands. It was a tattered and faded ribbon. "Huh… I wonder how this got down here," I wondered allowed. Feeling a strange empathy for the old ribbon, I decided to tie it into my hair as a little accessory. It reminded me strangely of home.

I climbed up through a small tunnel, which led me back to the main floor. There were two more holes to check. I went to the cracked floor on my left and caved it in. I almost laughed when I saw Napstablook lying on the leaves at the bottom. They stared blankly up at me for a moment, then spoke. "Um… I fell down this hole… Now I can't get out…"

"Can't you just fly?" I asked.

They blinked. "Oh… That's right… I can, can't I…" Slowly, they hovered off the ground and floated up through the hole. "Sorry… I have to go home, now… Thanks for the help…"

I gave them a kind smile. "Sure. Maybe I'll see you again sometime before I get out of here."

For the first time, they truly smiled. "Yeah… Maybe." With that, they rose up and disappeared.

I kicked the last hole in. Below it was the switch I had been looking for. I breathed a sigh of relief. After dropping down and pulling the golden mechanism, I heard a clanking sound above the small room. I crawled up through the tunnel and found that, back in the main room, the spikes in the doorway had disappeared. I walked through, twirling the ribbon in my hair in triumph.


	5. Chapter 5: The Caretaker's House

Chapter 5: The Caretaker's House

Through the next door were three pillars. I assumed it was yet another puzzle. Prepared for whatever the Ruins might throw at me next, I began to survey the room for anything that I might need to do. The space itself was L-shaped, and there was a sign on the wall beside me. It read: The far door is not an exit. It simply marks a rotation in perspective.

I decided to move around and find out what it meant. Beside each of the pillars sat what looked like colored buttons. I wasn't sure what they would do, so I decided to leave them for the time being. Around the corner of the L-shaped room, to my surprise, the door was open. I decided to look at the next room.

This one was almost identical to the last; it was L-shaped, and had three pillars. However, I didn't see buttons. I turned the corner and noticed a sign on the wall. If you can read this, press the blue switch. I thought for a moment. There had been a blue switch in the last room. Did I need to press that one? I walked back to the first room and pressed the blue switch beside the first pillar. It didn't seem to do anything.

Confused, I walked back to the second room. Suddenly, before I passed the first pillar, a spot of blue caught my eye. I came to an abrupt halt and investigated the color. Behind the first pillar in this room, there was another blue switch. It was out of sight if I was to be on the path. "Clever," I whispered allowed. When I clicked the switch, I heard a clack, and the spikes blocking the door slid into the ground.

I was relieved to see that I had passed the area of puzzles when I walked into the next room. This was a split hallway, with one path going straight and the other jutting to the left. The left one looked different and large, so I decided to keep going forward, first. I would come back to it.

Down the hall, there was a door to the left. Through a small, empty room was another door, and the sight on the other side of it took my breath away. I was on a small balcony that overlooked a view that I never would have thought could exist in a place like the Underground. It was a city. Almost a royal-looking city, by the shape and design of the buildings. It was enormous! I was entranced by the sheer size and regality of it. Somehow, I had a feeling that this place in the distance was where I would need to go. This was sure to be one hell of a journey.

As I pulled my eyes away from the city to head back to the other room, something shiny caught my eye. I turned to get a better look at it. On the other side of the balcony, there was a small, dull knife. Why in the world would a knife just be sitting here? I knelt beside it to examine it closer. As I scooped the blade into my hands, I felt a chill run up my spine. The weapon was a toy. It was a hard, sharp plastic, but looked very metallic and had faint traces of something on the edge of it.

Curiously, the thought crossed the back of my mind that I should take this with me. I pondered it. I might need it for something in the future… Besides, I didn't know how long I was going to be down here. Who knew if I would be in a situation where I would need something to cut with…? After a long moment of hesitation, I stood up with the knife and walked back into the Ruins. When I entered the door, I took a wad of leaves from the vines on the wall and wrapped them around the sharp of the blade. I put the plastic weapon into my pocket before entering the large room from before.

Here, there was a small house, like a cottage. A dead tree stood in the area before it, surrounded by red leaves. The house itself was somehow familiar, and felt comforting, like an oasis in a desert.

Before I could think anymore about it, I was startled to see Toriel run out of the front door. She pulled out a cell phone and prepared to dial it, but before she could push more than the first button, she halted as she noticed me standing in the middle of the path.

She put a hand to her mouth in shock. "My child!" she gasped. "H-how in the world did you get here?" She ran to me in a panic, falling to her knees and examining my entire body for wounds. Her claws gently grazed over one of the burnt spots on my arm, and upon seeing me flinch, her breath caught. "Oh dear… What did they do to you…?"

I touched her sleeve. "Oh, no, it was just from misunderstandings… They didn't mean to hurt me." She continued looking me over, and I saw her face get more and more worried the more wounds she found. I felt… bad. Toriel really was worried about me… If I had never left the hallway in the first place, she wouldn't have to be upset. "I…" Toriel looked up at me, and I suddenly saw a hint of my mother deep in her shimmering, red eyes. A dagger went through my heart at the look, and I felt tears prickle my eyes. "I-I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have… I shouldn't have left the hall…"

Toriel paused, then let out a breath and smiled. "No, no… It was irresponsible for me to leave you there in the first place. I should not have been so naive." She pressed a paw to my chest, just like she had after the incident with Flowey. "Here, let me heal you."

My Soul glowed red once again, and I felt the pain from the burns begin to ebb. I sighed in relief. "Thank you," I half-whispered.

The glow faded, and Toriel took her paw away. "Of course." She stood up, and gently took my hand. "Come, it will be safer in the house." Carefully, she led me up the few stairs and into the small cottage.

Inside was… adorable, to say the least, and extremely homey. I smiled as I remembered my grandmother's house, and I noticed how much Toriel's cottage reminded me of her's. The small home had a light, hardwood floor, and the walls were a soft tan. There were stairs about halfway through the room that led down to somewhere dark. I assumed it was a basement of some sort. Most dominantly of all, a wonderful, sweet scent wafted through the entire room. "What is that…?" I asked, sniffing the air.

Toriel chuckled. "Heehee, surprise! It is butterscotch-cinnamon pie!"

My face lit up at the sound of warm food. "Wow! So that's what you asked that question for! That sounds amazing!"

She laughed. "Oh, I am glad! I thought since you were new down here, I would make a little surprise to help welcome you in. I suppose it was a bit abrupt, but I did not know you would be coming today, and I had to make it sort of last-minute."

"Well, thank you so much. It sounds amazing," I said happily.

Toriel smiled in pride. "Of course, my child." Her face lit up. "Oh, and I have something else to show you." She took my hand and began to lead me down a hall to my right. We stopped at the first door, and she let go of my hand. She opened the door and giggled. "Here we are! A room of your very own!"

I stepped through the doorway and gazed around the small bedroom. There was a bed just about my size, and a chest full of toy monsters at the foot of it. A wardrobe stood near the wall, and a lamp stood on a small shelving unit. It felt comforting… Almost familiar, somehow, like I had been here before. I smiled as I touched the plush fur of one of the toys. "Wow… Really? You'll let me stay here?"

Toriel clasped her hands in glee. "Yes, of course! It is all yours, my child." Suddenly, her nose twitched. "Oh dear, is something burning?" She stepped out of the room and smiled apologetically. "Um… Make yourself at home!" With that she ran down the hall, her large paws stamping gently on the carpet.

I stood there for a moment, glancing around the room. The first thing that caught my eye was a tiny box on a table beside a lamp. I walked over to it and curiously wound the key. The melody that began to play was slow and thoughtful. Also, like some other things here, it sounded quite familiar. It was extremely soothing.

I sat down on the bed and heaved a sigh. It felt good to be safe and healed. I stroked the sheets gently, feeling how thick and warm they were, just like the old blankets my grandma used to have. I flopped onto my back, bouncing to a stop. I moaned as I felt the pressure release from my spine and shoulders. It felt amazing to be relaxed instead of feeling the constant tension of being attacked. I let my eyes close for a moment, and instantly I felt sleep claw at me. But… with the music box playing… and the sweet smell of butterscotch and cinnamon… maybe sleep wouldn't be all too bad, right now.

I heard the melody slow to a stop as sleep's arms pulled me away into the dark.


	6. Chapter 6: Heartache

Chapter 6: Heartache

My dreams were odd. I heard a voice calling to me… I'd never heard it before, as far as I could remember, but somehow I felt I knew the owner. They were telling me to keep going… telling me I could make it. There wasn't much of an image to match the voice. All I saw was another white monster, seeming to look at me. It wasn't Toriel, as it was quite small. And they weren't using my exact name. It was strange, though… I felt like the name, whatever it was, belonged to me, anyway.

Before I could get any more detail about the dream, it began to fade. I tried to cling to it, but it eluded my grasp just before I could get to it. I felt my mind coming back into consciousness. Thoughts returned… and they focused on the extremely strong scent of pie. I shifted my position, and found that I was no longer lying how I was when I'd fallen asleep. I had been tucked into the bed, and, judging by the fact that no light was filtering through my eyelids, the lamp had been turned off. Toriel must have come into the room and tucked me in.

I blinked my eyes open. The room was dark, as I had suspected, but not dark enough so I couldn't see. I was still lying on my back, staring up at the ceiling. Tiredly, I traced the edge of it with my gaze. The bed was extremely comfortable, maybe even more so than my bed at home. But the smell of cinnamon was strong, and made it have such a different feel…

Oh, the cinnamon! I had almost forgotten about the pie that Toriel had been baking. I sat up, pushing the covers down. Through the soft darkness, I saw an object on the floor near the middle of the room. I reached over and turned the lamp on. I blinked repetitively to adjust my eyes to the light, and realized that the object on the floor was a plate with a slice of the pie on it. I smiled and swung my legs to the floor, carefully picking up the ceramic plate. The first bite I took was amazing. The cinnamon and the butterscotch were perfectly complementary of each other, I was surprised this wasn't a popular flavor back up on the surface. I finished the slice faster than I had begun.

Suddenly… I remembered home. I knew that I needed to get back… however much I liked it here. My parents would be worried by now. Who knew what was happening up there…? Toriel was the only one who could help me find the way back, just like Napstablook had said earlier. I had to go ask her about it.

Holding the plate, I exited the bedroom and walked down the hallway, searching for Toriel. I found her across the front room, in a little living room with a warm fireplace. Toriel sat in a plush chair beside the fire, reading a book with glasses perched on her nose. When I entered the room, she looked at me over the lenses and smiled. "Oh, hello, my child. Up already?"

I smiled back. "Yeah. Thank you for the pie, I didn't mean to fall asleep like that. I felt bad that you had to bring it to me."

Toriel giggled. "Oh, it is no trouble at all. I am glad to make you feel comfortable here." She closed the book gently and set it on her lap. "Um, I just want to let you know how good it is to have someone else here with me. I have so many old books I want to share! Oh, and I could show you the best bug-hunting spots. And I have prepared a curriculum for your education… It may come as a surprise to you, but I have always wanted to be a teacher." She giggled. "Well, maybe it is not so surprising. But still…! I am very happy to have you living here!"

"U-um…" I stammered after the large chunk of information I had just been thrown.

She looked at me curiously over her glasses. "Oh, was there something you wanted?"

I hesitated. I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but I had to get out of here as soon as I could. I decided to just come right out and ask the question. "Um… I've been meaning to ask you… Some monster told me that you knew of a way I could get back home…?"

The look of glee on her face wavered. "Oh, but… this is your home, now." She fumbled with the book in her lap. "U-um, would you like to hear about this book I am reading? It is called '72 Uses for Snails'." She was obviously trying to avoid the subject. "H-how about that? It is interesting, is it not?"

I paused, not wanting to hurt her feelings. Knowing I had to keep pressing, though, I continued. "Y-yeah, It's interesting… But I really need to know how to get out of the Ruins. I've been told that you know the only way."

Toriel went silent. Her smile had vanished, and she stared at the cover of her book with an expression I couldn't read. Suddenly, she stood up. "My child… I must take care of something. Stay here." With that, she walked briskly into the main room, and I could hear her footsteps descend down what I presumed were the stairs.

My first reaction was to be obedient, and wait like she had told me. But… I had a bad feeling that what she had to "take care of" had to do with the door to the outside of the Ruins. I pondered my decisions one more time, but the gut feeling was too strong. My determination to get home was enough to cause me to run down the stairs after her.

The stairs dropped down below the house, and the walls around me were back to the lavender color of the Ruins. A long, narrow hallway stretched before me, and I could hear footsteps from around the corner. I could still reach Toriel before she did anything. Immediately I began to sprint. After turning two corners, I came into a small room. My stomach dropped as I saw Toriel standing before what had to be the door to the outside. When she heard my shoes skid on the ground as I slid to a halt, she tensed up.

There was silence as the two of us simply stood there. Toriel sighed. "You wish to return 'home', do you not?" she asked after a moment. Her gaze ran up the surface of the door. "This is the end of the Ruins… A one-way exit to the rest of the Underground." She looked down at her feet. "I am going to destroy it. Be a good child and go back upstairs."

My eyes widened in surprise. "W-w… No! Don't destroy it! I need to get back home!"

She glanced at me over her shoulder. Her eyes were not happy. "You do not know anything about this place," she said. "Every human that falls down here meets with the same fate. They come, they leave, they die. I have seen it again and again. You naive child… If you leave the Ruins… They… Asgore… will kill you." She sighed again. "Go to your room."

"No!" I objected. There was no way I could let her keep me from the surface… where I belonged. "I… I can't stay here. I have a home and family up there… On the surface."

She looked away from me. "You want to leave that badly?" She shook her head in disbelief. "You are just like the others. There is only one solution to this…" She finally turned around, looking me in the eyes with a steely gaze I'd never seen on her before. "Prove yourself. Prove to me that you are strong enough to survive out there."

Suddenly, before I could get in another word, the heartbeats came again, and my Soul glowed brightly through my sweater. Toriel streaked her paws through the air, her palms glowing with orange magic. When she swiped downward, a bright orb was flung in my direction. I narrowly dodged it at the last second, and watched as it hit the wall behind me. Flames crackled in a small explosion. It had been a fireball.

I stared at her in newfound horror as she formed three more fireballs in the air, and fired them at me in an array. I was lucky to duck just before one hit me.

She conjured more of them, then waited a moment. I stood there unsure what to do, shaking in fear. "What are you doing?" she barked. "Fight me!" More fireballs flew through the air, wave after wave. I dodged the first one, but stumbled from moving so abruptly and slammed my back against the wall. A fireball from the next wave hit my left arm, and an intense pain flowed up and down my entire body. I shrieked in agony and raised a shaking hand to the wound.

Toriel gasped, and I looked at her, terrified. I never knew how dangerous she really was… Of all things that could have happened, she would throw fire at me? I felt my trust for her begin to sever inside my heart. But… how could I get past her by being scared? I knew the answer… I couldn't. I thought for a moment as she stared at me with a quivering lip. She looked nervous. In idea sparked in my mind. Maybe I could do this like I had with the rest of the monsters in the Ruins…

Shaking, I stood up straight. "N-no…" I said in a wavering voice. "I-I won't fight you."

I watched as tears began to form in her eyes. "Y-you must…" she breathed. "You will not survive out there if you can not fight! It is not safe!"

Slowly, I stepped toward her. "But Toriel…" She tensed as I said her name for the first time. "I survived the Ruins, and you said that would be too dangerous for me. I know I can do it… I'm determined to get home."

The fireball that had been held above her hand faded, and so did the glow from my Soul. "I-I…" She sighed and lowered her hands. "I know you think you can… But… w-we can have a good life together… You don't have to go out there…"

I reached out and took her hand. "Toriel…" I searched for words. "Y-you need to trust me… I think I can make it. I know I'm not that strong, but I found that sometimes fighting isn't the best option, anyway. Like you said, I don't want to hurt anyone, right? Sometimes all you need to do is be kind."

She fell to her knees, and a pang of empathy grabbed my heart as tears fell from her eyes and plopped on the floor. Slowly, a weak smile crossed her face. "Y-yes… I… I understand. And… I suppose… If you really want to go home… I can't keep you here." She opened her arms and drew me into a warm hug. Through the embrace, I felt her healing magic flow through my body, and the big burn on my arm vanished. "Good luck, Frisk… I pray that you stay safe."

Smiling, I returned the embrace. Her long furry ear pressed against my cheek. "I will. I promise." When we pulled apart, I looked her in the eyes and gave her a cheerful expression, with tears of my own attempting to escape from my eyes. "I won't forget you… Thank you for everything you did. I wouldn't have been able to be here if you hadn't have found me."

"Of course." She pulled out a small purple bag from her pocket. "And take this… Just in case you have some things that you do not want to hold." She stood up. "Also… once you leave… please do not come back. I hope you understand." With one last smile, she turned and ran down the hall.

"Thank you…" I whispered after her.


	7. Chapter 7: Chills

Chapter 7: Chills

I slid my donut, phone, and toy knife into the bag Toriel had given me as I walked through the door. While I walked the long hall, I examined the tiny embroidery of her name on the edge of the flap on the purple item. I would miss her… I knew that right away. All she had wanted for me was safety, and I had decided to go out on my own, away from that safety. I felt bad… but I promised myself that I'd remember her forever. My determination and knowledge that she believed in me kept me walking forward, toward the exit of the Ruins.

When I looked up, near the end of the hallway, I stopped dead in my tracks. The next room was black, apart from a small shaft of light from the ceiling. And in that light… sat a golden flower. Staring right at me with his black eyes and sly grin, was Flowey. I heard his bone-chilling giggle echo through the room.

"Clever," he chuckled. "Verrrrry clever. You think you're pretty smart, don'cha? I told you, in this world, it's kill or be killed." He grinned at me. "So you were able to play be your own rules. You spared the life of a single person. I bet you feel pretty great, huh?"

I gulped. "L-leave me alone," I said as confidently as I could.

He laughed. "Oh, don't you worry, I won't do anything to ya right now. You're far too interesting to watch. I haven't seen a human like you in a long time." He glared at me maliciously. "You didn't kill anyone, this time. But what will you do if you meet a relentless killer? You'll die and you'll die and you'll die. Until you tire of trying. What will you do then? Will you kill out of frustration?"

I clutched my sleeve and focused on breathing steadily.

Flowey grinned an unsettling grin. "Or will you give up entirely on this world… and let me inherit the power to control it?"

"P-please…" I forced the words out.

The flower laughed at me. "I am the prince of this world's future. Don't worry, my little monarch, my plan isn't regicide. This is so much more interesting. So, for now, let's just see how you fare out in the real Underground!" With that, he burrowed down into the ground and disappeared again.

Shakily, I took in a breath and let it out. I hoped so badly that I wouldn't run into him again. He scared me more than anything I had seen so far down here. And just to think… What might be waiting for me on the other side of this door…? I clenched my fists. "S-stay determined…" I told myself out loud. "Just stay determined… I can do this…"

I could do it. I knew I could. I just had to believe in myself and my ability to press on. With will and might, I could make it through the Underground safely, and no one had to be hurt in the process. Flowey was wrong, I knew it. I wouldn't kill any monsters. I refused to. There was no was I could live knowing I had killed an innocent being.

My thoughts returned to the present. I knew I couldn't wait for Flowey to return. Not wanting to linger here, I put one foot in front of the other, making my way to the door on the other side of the dark room. I rested my hand on the hard surface. Taking a deep breath, I pushed on it as hard as I could. A chilling breeze swept in the gap, catching me underneath the hem of my sweater and causing me to shiver. When I got the door fully open, I stood in the center of the exit of the Ruins, staring out at the sight that was the outer Underground. What it looked like took me completely by surprise.

There was snow. Lots of snow. It fell softly from above, blanketing the ground in white powder. Trees stretched down a long run, ending in a bridge-like structure way down at the end. The tall, dark trunks stretched toward the roof of the humongous cavern, which was what looked like a quarter-mile above, at the very least. It was beautiful… but deathly quiet. My mouth opened in awe, a plume of fog flowing into the air. I wasn't sure if I should be intimidated or comforted.

I wrapped my arms around myself in an attempt to save my warmth. My sweater obviously wasn't designed to protect me from this level of cold. I figured I'd just have to keep moving. Slowly, I moved one foot forward and crunched it down into the snow. It wasn't too deep, so my boots were able to protect my skin. After a few steps in, it got even thinner. I must have reached a path. Puffing out another breath, I began walking down the long pathway with a steady gait.

I watched as my shoes made indents in the snow as I walked. This was so amazing to me. I'd only seen snow once in my life, and that was before I could remember. I never would have thought that the next time I would see it would be… in a cave.

I stepped over a large branch that had fallen in the road and glanced up at the bridge. I was about halfway down the long stretch of path. I wondered what was across the little bridge.. Maybe, if I was lucky, there would be someone nearby that could help me. Maybe I could find someone who knew how to get home. Maybe…

SNAP!

I whirled around as a loud crack echoed through the still air, expecting to see a monster appear right behind me. However… no one was there. I searched the snowy landscape for a moment, in case I had missed something. My eyes landed on the branch I had stepped over. It was shattered, like it was nothing… I shuttered and picked up my pace toward the bridge.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps louder than my own behind me, causing me to spin around once again. There was no one there, but there looked to be a small portion of footsteps alongside mine just a little ways back. I broke out into a quick run. Someone- or something- was definitely following me. My breath sped up and puffed in the air in front of me.

When I finally reached the bridge and was about to step onto it, I heard more footsteps. I stopped dead in my tracks. The sound was very close to me, and getting louder. There was no way I could outrun the pursuer. I didn't dare turn around when whoever was there stopped just a few feet away. My heart raced inside my chest.

"Human." I held my breath as the monster spoke in a deep, gravely voice. "Don't you know how to greet a new pal?" The monster, obviously male, spoke slowly and methodically, sending shivers all throughout my body. "Turn around and shake my hand."

I hesitated, unsure of what to do. For all I knew, this monster could kill me in an instant. Toriel had been right; I really didn't know about this place. But… I decided, I only had one choice. Slowly, I turned around to see the monster who had approached me. He was only a bit taller than me, and wore a blue hoodie pulled over his head, hiding his face from my view. All I could see was his mouth, which bent into a toothy, sideways grin as he raised his hand for me to take. Shakily, I raised my own and placed it in his…

The sound of farting filled the air for a good ten seconds. I drew my hand back, stunned. Suddenly, the monster burst out laughing. "Hehehe, the old whoopie cushion in the hand trick. It never gets old."

After the tension he had put on me, this was an odd way to let it off. I laughed nervously along with him.

He chuckled again as he slid the hood off his head, revealing two black eye sockets with pinpricks of white light for pupils. He was a skeleton. "Anyways," he continued, his deep voice changing from the gravely one it had been to a more laid-back, joking one. "You're a human, right? That's funny." He noticed my confused expression and smiled a bit more. "I'm Sans, Sans the skeleton," he introduced himself. When I didn't respond, he chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "You got a name, too, kid?"

I shook my head. I had to play it cool with this skeleton. He was the first monster I'd met out here, and if this calm demeanor he was putting on was true, then I might have a good shot at some protection out here. I tried to smile as best I could. "U-um, yeah… I'm Frisk." Despite what Toriel had told me earlier, I still felt weird telling my name to him.

"Frisk, huh?" He blinked, which surprised me, with the fact that he was a skeleton. "That's kind of a neat name." He let out a puff of air (also strange for a skeleton) and watched it dissipate. "It's kinda funny, I'm supposed to be on watch for humans right now. But, y'know, I don't really care about capturing anybody."

I let out a held breath I didn't realize I was keeping. It was a relief to know that he didn't want to try to fight me.

He looked at me again. "Now my brother, Papyrus… He's a human-hunting fanatic." He looked over my shoulder, and, seeing his eyes widen, I followed his gaze. In the near-distance, I could just make out the figure of a taller monster doing something to an object nearby. He must have been another skeleton. "As a matter of fact… I think that's him right over there."

I tensed, and Sans must have noticed.

"Hey, don't worry, I've got an idea." He pointed through the gate around the bridge. "Go right through this gate-thingie. My bro made the bars too wide to stop anybody." He began walking across, and when he realized I wasn't following him, He looked back and gestured for me to come. "C'mon, hurry before he sees ya."

Quickly, I jogged to catch up with him.


	8. Chapter 8: Skelebros

Chapter 8: Skelebros

When we crossed the small bridge, Sans paused and looked around. The only thing in this clearing was a desk with a snow-covered roof, like a small watch station, and a odd lamp-looking item sitting just in front of it. He glanced at me and pointed to the large lamp. "Hide behind that lamp," he said, giving me a little push toward it.

I hesitated. "W-wouldn't that be a better idea?" I asked, pointing to the station.

He shook his head and gave me another push. "No, trust me. This'll work. Come on, quick, before he sees ya!"

After a brief pause, I let out a breath. "Alright." Quickly, I jogged over to the lamp and crouched down behind it. Surprisingly, it hid my body perfectly. I hoped it would be enough cover.

I heard what must have been Sans's brother dash through the snow and skid to a halt maybe five yards from my lamp, and I tensed.

"Sup, bro?" I heard Sans greet him.

The second skeleton, Papyrus, spoke in a higher, more intense voice. "You know what's 'sup', brother!" I could tell he was trying to sound more authoritative, just by the way he enunciated his words and put an edge to his voice. "It's been eight days," Papyrus continued, "and you still haven't recalibrated your puzzles! You just hang around outside your station all day! What on earth are you even doing?"

I heard Sans chuckle. "I've been staring at this lamp." I held my breath at his mentioning it. "It's really cool. You wanna look?"

"Urg! No!" Papyrus growled. I sighed in relief. "I don't have time for that! What if a human passes through here!? I need to be ready! I must be the one to capture a human! Then, I, The Great Papyrus, will get all the things I utterly deserve! Respect, recognition! I will finally be able to join the royal guard! People will even ask to be my… friend? I will bathe in a shower of kisses every morning! It would be amazing, Sans!"

"Heh," Sans replied. "Maybe this lamp will help you."

Cold sweat rolled down my neck. I was really starting to think Sans was intentionally trying to get me caught.

"Sans! You are not helping!" Papyrus said through gritted teeth. I heard him stamp his foot impatiently. "You lazybones! All you do all day is sit and boondoggle! You just sit here, lazing about. You don't care about any of this, do you? Are you ever even productive at your station at all?"

"Nah, bro, don't worry," Sans replied casually. "There's nothin' to worry about. I've gotten a ton of work done. A skele-ton."

I held back a snicker at the bad pun.

Papyrus moaned. "Ngh, I swear, those puns of yours get worse every day."

Sans chuckled. "Aww, c'mon, you're smiling."

"I am and I hate it!" Papyrus growled. He let out a hefty sigh and I heard his boot crunch through the snow. "I just don't understand why someone as great as me has to do so much just to get some recognition!"

Sans smirked. "Wow, sounds like you're really working yourself… down to the bone."

Papyrus moaned as his brother laughed. "Ugh… Fine, I will attend to my puzzles." I heard him shift in position. "And as for your work? Put a little more… backbone into it!" He broke out in his own laughter. "Nyehehehehe!" With that, I heard his heavy footsteps run off down the path he had come from, until they faded completely.

"Heh heh," Sans chuckled to himself as he walked over to the lamp I was hiding behind. He put a hand in his pocket and held the other one out to help me up, that toothy grin still covering his face. "C'mon, he left. You can come out now."

I took his hand, which was whoopie cushion-free this time, and hoisted myself to my feet. "Thanks," I told him.

"No prob," he responded. "But you should probably get moving. He might come back. And if he does…" The skeleton winked. "you'll have to sit through more of my hilarious jokes."

I smiled and giggled a little. "Haha, yeah, you're right." I began walking down the path Papyrus had gone down. "Thanks for covering for me."

The skeleton smiled a little wider. "Yeah, sure. Good luck, kid."

I started down the path, and was just about to explore the new area…

"Hey, actually…"

I turned back around and found Sans still looking at me, hands in his pockets.

"I hate to bother ya, but can you do me a favor?"

I was hesitant, but then nodded slowly. "What is it?"

Sans glanced at the ground, but his grin never left his face. "Cool. So, I've been thinkin'... My bro's been a bit down lately. Ya see, he's never seen a real human before. And, y'know, seeing you might just make his day." He saw my skeptical expression and raised a hand slightly. "And don't worry, he's not dangerous… even if he tries to be sometimes." He blinked and shot me a wider, pleading smile. "Ya think you could show up to him at some point?"

I paused. I barely even knew Sans, yet he was asking me a favor like this. I considered saying no, since Papyrus didn't seem to be the kind of monster who'd just let someone like me go. But… through the smaller skeleton's calm expression, I could make out a deep hint of sincerity and care, and that's what swayed my decision. I took a breath and let it out. "Yeah, sure."

He smiled wide. "Thanks, kid." Turning around, he looked at me over his shoulder and put up a hand as a sort of half-wave. "I'll be up ahead. See ya." He began walking in the direction I had first come from.

I figured he just had to do something over there, so I continued walking into the next area. Suddenly, I had a thought. Maybe Sans could tell me where to go to get home. "Hey," I called after him as I turned around. "Could you-"

The skeleton was gone.

I blinked in confusion, looking around for where he could have gone, but there didn't seem to be anywhere. It was like he'd completely vanished. A bit uneasy, I slowly turned back around and entered the next clearing. I tried to make myself believe that this was a normal thing for monsters.

The trees here were much shorter, and a cold breeze swept over them, raising goosebumps on my skin. I began to trudge forward through the snow. However cold it was, I was extremely glad nothing worse had happened yet. I had been so scared that once I exited that door, I would be attacked left and right, and I would have regretted my decision. Instead, the first monster I met didn't want to hurt me, but help me. I still felt hopeful that I could get home. Kindness seemed to be working in my favor.

I heard nearby voices, and I snapped out of my thoughts. I found that I had been looking intently at the ground as I walked, and when I now looked up, the two skeletons were standing in the middle of the path before me. This was the first true look I had gotten of Papyrus. He was almost two times Sans's height, and had a wider jaw which made his head taller-looking, as opposed to his brother's round skull. A long, tattered red scarf was wrapped around his neck, which flowed gently in the slight breeze. His rib cage was encased in a white improvised armor-looking chest plate. Red gloves covered his hands, although I assumed he didn't need them for warmth (I wasn't quite sure… Was that how skeletons worked?).

I had no idea whatsoever as to how Sans had gotten here so fast, but I ignored the fact. Papyrus was potentially a threat, and I was focused on my own safety. The two were having a conversation and weren't looking my way, and it didn't seem like they'd noticed me. I had a chance of getting away… But I remembered what Sans had asked me to do, and I let out a sigh. I hesitated, then kicked some snow as loudly as I was able.

Papyrus was the one speaking. "So, as I was saying about Undyne…" He stopped short as he whipped around to look at where the sound had come from. When his gaze landed on me, his eye sockets widened in surprise. "S-sans! Is that… a human!?"

Sans turned to look at me lazily. I saw his eyes glance to the side, and the grin on his face shifted wider. "Nah, I think that's a rock."

All three of us stared at the small stone that was sitting just at the edge of the path, only a few feet away from me. I chuckled.

"Oh…" Papyrus said in defeat.

There was a long pause. Sans and I blinked at each other.

"Hey, what's that next to the rock?" Sans said, nudging his taller brother.

Papyrus looked at me, and the shock returned to his face. "Oh my god!" He bent down and covered his mouth with his red glove. "Is that a human…?" he whispered to Sans.

The shorter skeleton rolled his eyes. "Yes," he whispered back.

Papyrus shot back upright, a huge grin plastered across his teeth. "OH MY GOD!" He almost squealed in excitement. "Sans, this is it! I… Undyne will… I-I'll be so popular!" He focused on me again and cleared the childish excitement from my view. He cleared his throat(?). "Ehem! Human! You will not pass here! I, The Great Papyrus, will stop you!" He put his fists to his hips in a triumphant pose. "I will then capture you! You will be delivered straight to the capital! Then… Then!" He paused. "I-I'm not sure what comes next."

I glanced at Sans, and he glanced back, amused.

"Anyways!" Papyrus returned to his confident voice. "Continue… only if you dare! Nyeheheheh!" With a final laugh, he ran away down the path behind Sans. I saw him kick his heels together in excitement just before he rounded a bend.

I slowly walked down the path to stop beside the smaller skeleton. We watched the empty pathway where Papyrus had disappeared down for a moment.

"Welp, that went well." He nudged me with his elbow, and I could feel the had bone beneath the blue fabric. "Hey, don't sweat it, kid. Nothin's gonna happen. I told ya, he's harmless. And if you're still nervous about it…" He winked, which still surprised me. "I'll keep an eyesocket out for ya."

I chuckled. "Uh, okay. T-thanks." I paused. It was funny, but I noticed when Papyrus had tried to "threaten" me, he had seemed so excited about seeing me, just like Sans had suspected would be the case. There was certainly more to the taller skeleton than I had thought at first. "You know… you're right. He didn't seem so bad."

Sans's big grin returned. "Heh, see? Once ya get to know him better, he's a super nice guy." He closed his eyes and sighed. "Ey, thanks for goin' along with this. It's really makin' him happy."

"Sure," I said with a smile.

Without warning, he began walking down the path after Papyrus. "You're a real nice kid… for a human." He chuckled and waved a hand. "See ya up ahead."

I followed soon after, but the skeleton had vanished after he turned the bend.


End file.
